Page 24 - Arkansas Confederate Women

Kemintscences of the War Between the States 19

an absolutely nude state. Instantly every door and blind was
closely shut; curtains drawn; and the whole town was as still

as death.

A negro man was hastily despatched to warn them not to

approach too near any dwelling for the women of that town
were well armed and well drilled in the use of firearms. The
faithful negro adding in his own persuasive way "And I tell you
gemmans, if you step your foot in one of dem yards, you won't

neber hab no more use for does.'

They gave full credit to this kindly hint and at once
recrossed the river and we heard of them no more, and our hearts

went up in a hymn of praise to our God for this special

deliverance.

Another trying time was when Curtis's army came thro' our

town. My mother still had with her the negro man mentioned

—above (her carriage driver in slave times) to whom by th.3

way, let me just here pay a well-deserved tribute. During all the

years of the war, he seemed to feel that he was duty bound to

work for and protect his mistress and her family. He regularly

brought to her all his earnings; and was as loyal, in every way,

as the truest and noblest son, or brother could have been. He

was at once sent to the General's headquarters for "a guard"
and with a request that he permit some worthy officer to board

with us during his stay in our town. He sent us quite a polished,

pleasant gentleman, Capt. of an Indiana Company.

This proved a boon to us, for he not only treated us beauti-
fully, but saw that we and all we had, were carefully protected
from depredations and indignities to which others were subjected.

When the command moved on and left our town, there was a

rumor that they had found us to be such fire-eating rebels that
stragglers had been ordered to remain behind and burn the town

that night. We had no men, but the women held a council and

we decided to form ourselves into a police force and patrol the
town all night. This we did; walking our several beats as
faithfully, if not as fearlesssly, as any city police. Whether or
not the rumor had been baseless, we never knew, but our town wai

not burned.